Written by guest writer Jason Moore
I was first introduced to the outdoors at a very young age, growing up in Northeast Ohio with a county metro park in my backyard. The countless summer afternoons I spent exploring that park fostered in me a desire to explore everything. At the age of 31, that desire now translates to multiday trips through some of our countries most prominent national parks and forests. I often read blogs like campingfunzone.com to determine where I venture next. The Guadalupe National Park sounds pretty good to me.
As my adventures grow, so does my ability. With that growth, my equipment needs evolve to compensate for new challenges. My last adventure was a five-day hike along part of the Appalachian Trail in Smokey Mountain National Park which I accomplished with a 55-liter pack. I did a little research on what to pack and looked at this guide on How to Pack a Hiking Pack to make sure I had everything I needed before I went on the hike. My next adventure was a hike of the same length along the Trans-Zion Trek in Zion National Park. The differences between the two hikes are that I would need to carry a tent in Zion (the AT utilizes shelters) and at times more water due to the limited reliable water sources along the trail. I don’t have the smallest and lightest equipment so with these two additions I needed a larger pack that could carry the extra load. I was excited when I found the Deuter ACT Lite 65+10 because I was able to increase my capacity by 36% while only increasing my pack weight by 20%.
The ACT Lite 65+10 is the first Deuter pack I have owned and I experienced the frequency illusion as soon as I entered the park. I noticed Deuter packs everywhere and even had another hiker compliment me on the trail because we were carrying the exact same pack. I guess when you are a company with more than 100 years of experience in making packs that have been used in some of the most famous expeditions in history your brand speaks for itself.
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Overall, I am very satisfied with the way this pack performed on the trail. With the help of the bottom compartment and well positioned compression straps it was easy to pack my gear, food, and water in a manner that distributed the weight evenly. I was impressed with the ventilation provided by Aircontact System. I wasn’t aware of how much I was sweating until I took the pack off at the end of the day. Lastly, I was surprised by how durable the pack held up to me dragging it 48 miles over granite and sandstone. After a quick wipe with a damp cloth the pack still looks brand new.
My favorite features of the pack are:
- separate bottom compartment
- zipped pocket on hip belt for valuables
- ice axe and hiking pole loops
- spacious stretch side pockets
- compression and load adjustment straps
- hydration system compatible
I am confident that this pack will be with me for a lot more adventures including more multiday hikes, rock climbing trips, and even the occasional trip back to Ohio to visit my family.
Check out our review of Deuter’s Kid Comfort Air.
